Abstract: The conservation of rare and endangered wild plants is a hot topic of biodiversity conservation research and the study of their geographic distribution is of significance to the theories of biodiversity conservation.The research object of this study focuses on the species in the “List of National Protected Key Wild Plants”(first batch)that was promulgated by the Chinese State Council in 1999.Based on the literature material and specimen records,geographic distribution at the county level of national key protected wild plants in China was analyzed,which are unevenly,distributed in 1228 counties and concentrate in a few counties of southwestern China.We also determine the in situ conservation status by analyzing the numbers of national key protected wild plants protected by national nature reserves.There are 520 counties where national key protected wild plants are protected by national nature reserves,and still 1004 counties where national key protected wild plants are unprotected by national nature reserves.Furthermore,we point out the hot spots for on-site conservation should be strengthened by analyzing distribution status of national key protected wild plants unprotected by national nature reserves in counties.

Key words: wild plants, biodiversity conservation, nature reserve, hot spots